Quick and easy vnc from windows to kubuntu
I finally figured out how to use tightvnc to connect from a windows box to a kubuntu box over ssh (tunnelling).
I did not immediately grasp a few concepts; the steps I took and some explanations follow.
My setup
windows client (WC) --> router I do not control --> the Internet --> Netgear router I do control --> kubuntu "server", my home machine (KU)
Things to do before connecting
Punch a hole in the home network, so that ssh connections get forwarded to KU.
This was reasonably easy to do with the Netgear router; see your router's instructions.
Make sure KU has the following packages installed & updated: openssh-client openssh-server.
sudo apt-get install openssh-client openssh-server
Make sure you can connect via ssh on the command-line
Enough said.
Create a ssh tunnel on Windows
This is the part I did not initially understand. Let me break it down. When you create a tunnel using ssh on windows, you specify the port here (on your local machine), and the server name/IP address and port there (on your destination machine). The ports and routers and addresses and things and whatnot in the middle are taken care of by ssh.
So my ssh tunnel (using PuTTY) is: L5900 localhost:5900, which means that the PuTTY dialog for tunnelling has Source Port = 5900, and Destination = localhost:5900.
Making the connection
Read the excellent weblog entry HOWTO: Access your machine remotely in Linux, which details how to use x11vnc to connect to KU. The directions are clear - just add the ssh tunnelling as directed above, and you will have a connection to your KU from WC in short order!